The Sadhana Worshop

What is Sadhana?Sadhana is a Sanskrit word whose root, sadh, means to reclaim that which is divine in us, our power to heal, serve, rejoice, and uplift the spirit. Sadhana practices encompasses all of our daily activities, from the simple to the sublime - from cooking a meal to exploring your inner self through meditation. The goal of sadhana is to enable you to recover your natural rhythms and realign your inner life and daily habits with the cycles of the universe. When you begin to live and move with the rhythms of nature, your mind becomes more lucid and more peaceful and your health improves. Your entire life becomes easier.

On the path of practice, we adopt the belief that disease happens from within, and so must any cure. We decide that any lack of peace or dis-ease or illness becomes an occasion to go deeper into ourselves, to examine where we must make changes in order to heal our bodies, feelings, or lives. We accept that our ailment is an assignment, and that to complete it satisfactorily, we must do research into it and into ourselves. Each of us is unique; no one else can complete our assignment for us. We can't even depend on the inherent beneficence of the universe to save us. The universe will support us, and will help us by revealing its sacred rhythms. It will help us see where we have gotten off balance and will always allow us to realign with it. But we have to do the work of self-reflection and healing that fits our individual inner life and outer life. On our individual path on the human journey, each of us is meant to learn the truths of our physical, mental, and spiritual lives that are particular to us and shared by others. These truths unite us to our families, our tribe, the entire human race, and the universe as a whole.

Whether you are in good health but want to find a greater sense of balance and mindfulness, or whether you have been diagnosed with an illness - be it chronic or acute - Sadhana shows you how to make gradual changes in the way you conduct your daily life so that you will see profound changes both immediately and over time. You will be happier, healthier, calmer, and more resilient because of these practices. Indeed, you will notice that the effects of these practices spread far beyond your individual life. Because women have always been the guardians of life's wholesome practices, when we strengthen our health and spiritual power, we also strengthen the health and wisdom of the men, children, and communities around us. Sadhana (occurs between 5:30 a.m. and 9 a.m.)- By Request - $495 / 5 Day Workshop

This five day workshop is devoted to the value of integration through abhyasa (dedicated practice) so that the student learns how to role model yogic principles. The student will receive worksheets to study or fill out and return before the workshop, as well as the book Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha by Swami Satyananda Saraswati, to help them continue their practice after their Sadhana initiation. A brief Ayurvedic consultation, an Ayurveda cook book, and an Ayurvedic cooking class with recipes unique to the individual will be provided to the student after the workshop.

THE FIRST 40 MINUTES focuses on the student’s personal process of cleansing and moving through multi-layers of blocks and tension in their bodies. This is done by practicing shatkarmas (yogic cleanses) that were considered to be the original Hatha Yoga practices and are very beneficial for maintenance of health for the yogic practitioner. The intent is to develop a yogi that knows how to learn and practice in any environment, who develops skills in self-diagnosis, and interpretation of symptoms. The student will be given worksheets before class to prepare them for the cleanses that will take place. These worksheets will help to demonstrate the cleanses and will explain the benefits of them.

THE NEXT HOUR is spent practicing Surya Namaskara and/or Asana. Sun Salutations, known in Sanskrit as Surya Namaskar (pronounced Sir-yah- Namah-skar), are a series of movements that flow with the breath. They help strengthen the heart, improve circulation, and lengthen and strengthen all major muscles in the body. Radiate Your Essential Self - Even if you do not have time to work out on a regular basis, performing Sun Salutations every day will bring vitality and aliveness into your life. The twelve poses included in the Sun Salutation series are designed to awaken the connection between the sun and your agni, or inner fire. As you kindle your inner fire, you can radiate your innate love and happiness out into the world. As we perform Sun Salutations to celebrate the sun, we also celebrate life in general as well as our inner life and our connection with the universe. We celebrate life because the poses in the Sun Salutation series represent the full experience of life, with all its highs and lows, and beginnings and endings. We celebrate our inner life because we are ultimately beings of light, like the sun, and performing Sun Salutations rejoices in this aspect of our being. We celebrate our connection with the universe because the sun is the source of all life on this planet.

THE FINAL HOUR is spent developing the students Mudra, Mantra & Pranayama practice. Because each student of yoga is unique, they will be given a mudra and mantra specifically dedicated to their own personal healing, growth and well-being. The student will also be given worksheets listing additional mantras and their meanings to use in their future practice. Chanting with joy and without fear will be emphasized... "There is no room for fear in your yoga practice."

Like the practice of mantra, mudra is used as a meditation tool to redirect the energy of the breath (prana), strengthen the life force, and stabilize the body's energy. Mudra as a spiritual practice may be traced back to the most ancient Vedic rituals for the Goddess. The gods and goddesses of the Hindu pantheon are depicted with their hands in various mudra positions evoking tremendous powers. The mudra positions connect us with our inner divinities and bring awareness to the subtle body - the personal energy field that surrounds us; our energetic body double or vibrational field. They also make us aware of our hands as sacred limbs reaching into the universe and conducting energy inward and outward.

Whatever moves in the universe,Whether it is either seen or heard, Whether it is within or without - It is pervaded by breath.~ Maha Narayana Upanishad

Pranayama - The sages developed a science of breath, called pranayama, which literally means "manifestation of ultimate cosmic energy." Pranayama encompasses a variety of practices, all of them designed to reestablish the flow of breath in harmony with the rhythms of the universe. "He who has control over his breath also has control over his mind," says the Chandogya Upanishad. The student will learn particular pranayama exercises unique to their own person healing and growth. With pranayama, we will gradually reduce the constant barrage of intrusive thoughts and ever-changing sensations that keep us from spiritual understanding and consciousness. Thus, pranayama promotes the yoga principle of unification of the mind and cosmos; as we begin to transcend the distractions of the mind and body, we move beyond the physical realm to the far greater awareness of our inner oneness and our oneness with the universe.

THE WORKSHOP COMPLETES with meditation and savasana coupled with aromatherapy. Meditation leads us to the universal consciousness that resides within us, to the selfless awareness of that which is greater than our body-mind, and to a reality and plane beyond material wealth and success. Through meditation, we are able to intuit our individual purpose. We learn to step away from the engaging mirages and delusions that encumber daily life. The student will leave feeling tranquil and rested. As a licensed Medicinal Aromatherapist, Level 1, I will choose a combination of oils to guide the student in authentic living and deep healing and to reconnect and reacquaint themselves with ancient essences, and to the Earth in all her Abundance.

HEALTHY FOOD, HEALTHY SPIRIT. A final treat includes a 30 minute Ayurvedic cooking course. While making an Ayurvedic tea or other delicious treat with love and prana, the student is given an opportunity to integrate all that they have learned and experienced. Every bite we eat, every motion and sound we make in the spirit of sadhana invokes the vibration, energy, and memory of the universe. The yogi will also be given an Ayurvedic cook book to take home with them.

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What Students of Blessed Yoga Have to Say:

﻿﻿❤ ~ Ana Valinho, Student in Cusco, Peru 2015

"From Aldea Yanapay (great school of love to children), to the incredible homely hostel la boheme, to the food at mercado san blas and at greenpoint... My 6 weeks in Cusco/Qosqo/centre/gravitational centre were all truly well balanced out by Ashley ● I have been doing yoga for five years in London, Lisbon and NYC and I was wonderfully surprised by the teacher Ashley at the Yoga Room in Cusco, Peru. From her words, to the sense of opportunity, helping, the pace, the getting everyone's names and brief "why am I here", taste for music and simply those oils... vinyasa gained a new look for me. ● You made me feel so balanced out, just when I needed that push. May your excellent work continue and your knowledge be taken further."​~ Yours, ana maria (portugal) ~ Ana Valinho, Student in Cusco, Peru 2015